Heater for liquid cooling system for internal-combustion engines



NOV. 30, 1954 wlLLlAMS 2,695,603

R. G. HEATER FOR LIQUID COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Sept. 13, 1951 d 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5' P F/ 1 S g s n' 62 in I E B 54 Q 58 Robert 6. Williams INVENTOR.

BY WFYW Nov. 30, 1954 R. G. WILLIAMS HEATER FOR LIQUID COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 15, 1951' Robe/l 6. Williams INVENTOR.

ited States Patent HEATER FOR LIQUID COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Robert G. Williams, Cicero, 11]. Application September 13, 1951, Serial No. 246,357

2 Claims. (Cl. 126-85) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in heating devices and more particularly to devices for heating the liquid in the cooling system of a vehicle, whereby operation of a vehicle engine in cool Weather may be effectively improved.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a device of the aforementioned character that embodies novel and improved features over a similar device disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 2,514,270, issued July 7, 1.950.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a heater for the liquid cooling system of internal combustion engines including a burner and an igniter for the burner in the form of a spark plug that is electrically connected to the ignition coil of an engine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a heating device for the cooling system of a vehicle engine involving a burner casing supported on the engine block and having a vertically disposed hollow coil therein whose upper and lower ends are connected to the block to receive the cooling liquid of the block and permit return of the liquid to the block.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a heater as above described that is extremely small and compact to be mounted on an engine block or within an engine compartment and which includes operators located on a dash panel for the convenience of a driver.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a vehicle showing the engine and the present invention operatively connected to the engine block;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 22 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view taken on the plane of section line 44 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral represents a cylindrical burner casing having an open lower end 12 and a closure plate 14 at its upper end 16. The upper end portion of the casing is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced air admitting apertures 18.

A hollow coil 20 is disposed vertically within the casing 10 and includes an upper horizontally projecting end 22 and a lower horizontally projecting end 24. The end 22 extends outwardly through an aperture 26 in the end 16 and the end 24 extends outwardly through a vertical slot 28 in the lower end 12 of the casing 10. The coil 20 is removable from the casing 10 when it is manually tilted to withdraw the ends 22 and 24 from the aperture 26 and slot 28, respectively. Apertured plates 30 and 32 are removably secured to the outer periphery of the casing 10 and receive and hold the ends 22 and 24.

A burner 34 is mounted in the lower end 12 of the casing 10 and includes a plate 36 having a rod 38 fixed by welding or the like to its upper face. The ends of the rod 38 project outwardly from the peripheral edge 2,695,603 Patented N 0v. 30, 1954 ice of the plate 36nand.enter-apertures-40t-in the lower end 12 of the casing 10, as shown best in Figure 5 of the drawings. An ear 42 rises from the'plate 36 and receivably engages a fastener 44extending radially through the lower end of the casing to further aid in retaining the burner mounted in the lower end of the casing.

The burner 34 is removable from the casing when the fastener 44 is backed out of ear 42 and when the plate 36 is slid horizontally to first disengage one end of rod 38 from one aperture 40 and then tilted to disengage the other end of the rod 38 from the other aperture 40.

Means is provided for' igniting the burner 34, and this means comprises a spark plug 46 whose threaded end is threaded in a socket 48 in the lower end 12 of the easing 10. The inner end of the plug 46 is located sufliciently close to the burner to direct a spark or sparks for igniting the burner.

In practical use of the present invention, the casing 10 is supported on the block B of an engine E by a U- shaped bracket 50. A lower conduit 52 is attached to the end 24 of coil 20 and is tapped in the lower forward portion of the block B, and an upper horizontal conduit 54 is attached to the end 22 of coil 20 and is tapped in the upper rear portion of the block B so that the cooling liquid for the block may pass through the conduit 52, the coil 20, the conduit 54 and hence back to the block.

The spark plug 46 is electrically connected to the ignition coil C of the engine by conductors 56, and a switch 58 is connected to the conductors 56. The switch 58 is mounted on the dash panel P and the switch is preferably of the spring urged type which requires manual depression in order that it be moved to its circuit closing position.

A source of fuel S is mounted on a motor compartment wall W and is connected to the burner 34 by a tubing 60. A manually actuated valve 62 is interposed in the tubing 60 and the valve 62 is supported on the dash panel P.

While this application concerns itself with the use of propane gas as a fuel, it is understood that any type of heating device can be fastened to the cylindrical burner casing 10 on the same general principle as the propane burner 34. This burner may be of the type and design employing a wick and self-contained fuel supply, manually lighted and controlled. It can also be operated with the open pot type of fuel such as jellied or solidified gasoline, benzine, alcohol, etc., without a wick. It can also be connected directly to the fuel supply of the vehicle on which it is installed.

In view of the preceding description it is possible to operate this unit with any type of heat supply or source. Elaborating along these lines, heat applied in any fashion or method to the coil 20 will produce the desired results.

Consequently, the primary object to be considered is the improvement brought about by use of the coil. The next consideration being given to the versatile burner, using any fuel for which the burner might be designed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A heater for the liquid cooling system of an internal combustion engine, said heater comprising a perforated cylindrical casing having an open bottom, a burner removably secured within the bottom of the casing and including a base plate, a pin fixed to one face of the base plate, said casing having a pair of apertures adjacent its open bottom accommodating the ends of the pin, said pin being spaced from the center of the plate so that the latter can swing out of the open bottom, fastening means securing the plate to the casing and retaining the plate within the casing, and an igniter for the burner supported by and within the casing.

2. A heating device comprising a casing, a burner mounted in the casing for heating liquid entering the casing and an igniter for the burner, said burner including a base plate, said casing having a lower open end receiving the base plate, a rod secured to the upper face of said base plate, said lower end of said casing having a pair of apertures therein, the ends of said rod projecting beyond the plate and received in said apertures, and a fastener extending through the casing and References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 695,979 Widmer Mar. 25, 1902 Number Name Date Lukaszewski Nov. 7, 1911 Morris Mar. 17, 1925 Ermatinger Jan. 4, 1927 Pasco Nov. 19, 1935 Williams July 4, 1950 

